Flagstone mold



y 1961 G. w. PAINTER 2,981,997

FLAGSTONE MOLD Filed Jan. 26. 1959 IN V EN TOR.

leafi m,

natural flagstones.

United States FIJAGSTONE MOLD 1 Claim. (Cl. 25-118) This invention is a flexible mold for producing artificial flagstones or the like in any desired regular or irregular shape.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a perspective of a mold; Fig.

' 2 shows several of the molds arranged to form an artificial flagstone walk; Fig. 3 shows a mold arranged to form an individual flagstone; and Fig. 4 is a section on line 44 of Fig. 3.

The mold is a strip 1 of flexible material of one of the elastomers such as natural or synthetic rubber or one of the flexible plastics such as polyethylene. The rubber and plastic materials are preferred because they have the property of easily releasing from concrete. In use, the strip is supported edgewise on asupporti-ng surface 2 as shown in Fig. 4 and the width of the strip corresponds to the thickness of the flagstone to be cast. The mold is held on the supporting surface by a plurality of stakes or pins 3 extending through edgewise holes 4 in the strip. The holes 4 are conveniently located in lugs or ribs 5 on one surface of the strip. v

Two ways of using the mold are illustrated. In Figs. 3 and 4, pins 3 on the same spacing as the ribs 5 are fixed to a wood pallet 6 and the strip is placed on the pins with the ribs 7 and 8 at the ends of the strips butting each other so as to form a completely enclosed cavity of polygonal shape with the periphery formed by the inner or smooth surface of the strip. With the mold in place on the pins 3, the cavity can be filled with the desired concrete mix to the level of the upper edge of the strip. After the concrete has set, the mold is easily lifted off the pins. The shape of the flagstone is determined by the location of the pins and can be regular or irregular as desired. The mold inherently produces fiagstones with the rounded corners and somewhat curved sides of In molds or forms made of rigid material, the rounded comer effect is diflicult to obtain at reasonable cost. The flexible mold is also much'lighter than rigid forms. The fiexible strip 1 can have a thickness of or less and still have adequate strength.

, size flagstones.

In Fig. 2, several of the molds are shown arranged to make a flagstone walk. The side edges of the walk are defined by boards or other rigid form members 9 which will usually be set with the upper edges flush with the surface of the ground. The ground between the forms 9 is excavated to a depth equal to the desired thickness of the artificial flagstones. The molds can then be located by driving the pins or stakes 3 directly into the ground. In some cases, the molds will butt against the forms 9 while in other cases the molds will butt against each other. For example, one of the molds comprising sections 10, 11, 12 and 13 butts against one of the forms 9. Another mold comprising sections 14, 15, 16 and 17 at one end butts against the first mold and at the other end butts against the form 9. Other configurations are indicated by dotted lines but these are by no means exhaustive. In pouring a flagstone walk, all of the flagstones need not be poured at the same time, particularly if different color effects are desired. The space between the fiagstones left upon removal of the molds can be lilled either with dirt to give a natural effect or with mortar.

The form of mold illustrated is more adaptable than an endless strip mold although the strip can, if desired, be converted to an endless mold by suitable fastening of the ends by any of the usual interlocking or butt joints. Two or more molds may be joined end to end for larger teners can be used with the sides of the staple straddling the strip. The staples do not require the holes 4 and can be used at points intermediate the holes or in a strip without such holes. With any type of fastener, the mold can be made in the form of a circular or endless belt.

What is claimed as new is:

A mold for artificial flagstones of poured concrete comprising a flexible strip of one of the elastomers adapted to rest edgewise on a supporting surface and having an inner surface defining the periphery of a flagstone forming cavity, said strip having longitudnally spaced ribs on its outer surface with holes therein extending crosswise of the strip at points at which corners are desired, and stakes extending through said holes for anchoring the strip to said supporting surface at the corners of any selected shape defined by the stakes, said mold inherently producing flagstones with the rounded corners and somewhat curved sides of natural flagstones.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 640,377 Haentges Ian. 2, 1900 2,187,260 Brandenburg Ian. 16, 1940 2,197,212 Hagemeyer Apr. 16, 1940 2,873,505 Sheldon Feb. 17, 1959 Instead of stakes or pins, staple-like fas- I 

